All workplaces in England havemust aseparate legaltheir dutywaste tobefore presentit’s thecollected, followingincluding wastesany separatedwaste inproduced accordanceby withemployees, thecustomers arrangementsand withvisitors.

You theirmust wastealways collector: separate:

• dry recyclable materials -(plastic, plastic, metal, glass, paper and card (more information on separating recyclable material is in the ‘Separating recyclable waste’ section)  card)
• food waste waste
• blacknon-recyclable waste bin(also wastecalled (residualresidual waste)  waste)

WorkplacesYou thatcan generate garden waste have aseparate legalbins dutyfor toeach managetype itof inwaste accordanceor withseparate the waste hierarchybefore andcollection. arrangeIf foryou itprovide tobins befor recycledyour customers or compostedvisitors, ifyou itneed deliversto theseparate bestthis environmentalbefore outcome.  collection too.

WorkplacesYou can decide on the size of containers and frequency of collections based on the volume of waste theyyou produce.

If Youyour dobusiness notor needworkplace togenerates providegarden binswaste, for your customers, however, if you providemust bins,arrange youfor willit need to separatebe dryrecycled recyclableor waste,composted foodif wasteit anddelivers blackthe binbest waste. environmental outcome.

Workplaces that must follow these rules  

AnyThe businessrules orapply workplaceto premisesall thatbusinesses, generatescharities wasteand thatpublic issector similarorganisations inincluding: 

• offices  
• retail natureand wholesale, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, garden centres, and compositionservice tostation householdforecourts  
• transport, wastesuch mustas followtrains, thesetrain rulesstations, acrossbuses theirand operationscoaches, (includingbus forstations, example,domestic staffvessels kitchens).and Thisports, includesand allairports 
• hospitality, relevantsuch non-domesticas premises,cafes, restaurants, pubs, take-aways, and hotels  
• holiday parks, campsites and short-term rentals such as: 
  as cottages or lodges 
  • offices entertainment and sports venues, such as cinemas, theatres, galleries, theme parks, zoos, stadiums and arenas 
  • retailagricultural premises, including shows, showgrounds and wholesale markets 
  • transportconstruction sites 
  • warehouses 
  • manufacturing facilities, factories, and storage workshops 
  • hospitality,venues for temporary events such as cafes,festivals restaurants, and hotels shows, including outdoor events 
  • places of education, such as schools, colleges, and universities universities
  • healthcare places, such as GP surgeries and hospitals hospitals
  • care homes  homes   
  • charities and those registered as charities  charities   
  • places of worship worship  
  • penal institutes institutes  
  • charity shops selling donated goods that came from a domestic property property  
  • residential hostels that provide accommodation to people with no other permanent address or who are unable to live at their permanent address only 
  • premises used only or mainly for public meetings  meetings

  This is not a complete listlist. andIf thereyou aregenerate others.waste Ifthat youis aresimilar unsurein ifnature theand rulescomposition apply to yourhousehold business,waste, you canare checklikely to be in scope of the legislation.  requirements.   

  SeparatingGuidance recyclablefor waste your sector

  YouFind needspecific toguidance separatefor papereach andsector cardon fromthe otherWRAP drywebsite, recyclableswhich (plastic,is metalfunded andby glass),Defra.

  The unlesswebsite youralso includes a waste collectorcalculator. collectsThis themgives together.you Wastethe collectorspotential maycost alsoof choosewaste collection services and ideas to collectimprove otherwaste efficiency.   

  Separating recyclable waste 

  You must always separate dry recyclable materialswaste, separately,food likewaste glass.and non-recyclable waste from each other, before it is collected. 

  You should discuss how your dry recyclable waste will be collected with your chosen waste collector.  

  You mustneed always to separate drypaper recyclableand waste,card from foodother wastedry recyclables (plastic, metal and blackglass), binunless your waste fromcollector eachcollects other. them together. Waste collectors may also choose to collect other dry recyclable materials separately, like glass.

  Dry recyclable waste

  Dry recyclable waste is: 

  • glass - such as drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars jars
  • metal - such as drinks cans and rinsed empty food tins, empty aerosols, aluminium foil, aluminium food trays and tubes tubes
  • plastic - such as rinsed empty food containers and bottles bottles
  • paper and cardboard - such as old newspapers, envelopes, delivery boxes and packaging cardboard food packaging

  Food waste

  You must collect food waste, even if the workplace does not serve food or have a kitchen. There is no minimum food waste weight.

  Food waste is:  might include:

  • foodany leftovers  leftovers from staff lunches
  • banana skins and apple cores
  • coffee grounds and tea bags
  • waste generatedfrom byfood preparingpreparation, such as onion skins

  Packaging labelled ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’ cannot be recycled with food (ofwaste.

  Caddy anyliners volume,(including includingcompostable ifliners) theused workplaceto doeshold food waste can be collected.

  Items not servecollected

  You foodshould orprovide haveclear ainformation canteen)  for your employees, customers and visitors about what can and cannot be recycled in each bin.

  The following lists give examples of items that are not typically collected in dry recycling collections. These are not complete lists. You should check with your waste collector.

  Glass

  Items not collected include:

  • candles
  • drinking glasses
  • flat glass
  • glass cookware (such as Pyrex)
  • light bulbs and tubes
  • microwave plates
  • mirrors
  • vases
  • window glass
  • ceramics, such as crockery or earthenware

  Metal

  BlackItems binnot wastecollected include:

  • laminated foil, like pet food pouches and coffee pouches
  • electrical items and batteries
  • general kitchenware like cutlery, pots and pans
  • kettles
  • irons
  • pipes
  • packaging that has contained white spirits, paints, engine oils or residualantifreeze

  Plastic

  Items wastenot is:  collected include:

  • absorbentany hygieneplastic productspackaging or non-packaging items labelled as ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’, including coffee pods
  • packaging that has contained white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze
  • bulky rigid plastics such as nappies garden furniture, bins and plastic toys
  • highlypolystyrene contaminated(expanded materialsand likehigh foodimpact) packaging thatsuch cannotas bepacking washed  beads
  • polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging

  Paper and card

  Items not collected include:

  • tissues or toilet paper
  • absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) including nappies, period products and incontinence products
  • cotton wool or makeup pads
  • wet wipes

  Finding a waste collector  

  You should discuss the requirements with your waste collector and arrange separate dry recycling, food waste and blacknon-recyclable bin waste collection. The waste collector can be a private waste collector or your local authority may also provide services.

  If your current waste collector does not offer the full range of collection services, you will need to arrange these services from other providers. 

  You must make sure that the company is is registered on the Public Register of Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers. 

  Micro-firm

  Businesses exemptionwill untilcontinue 31to Marchpay 2027 

  Micro-firmsfor needtheir toown complywaste bymanagement services.

  Micro-firm exemption until 31 March 2027. 

  2027 

  Micro-firms arehave workplacesfewer with less than 10 full-time employeesequivalent inemployees. total. This relates to the total number of full time or full-time equivalent employees in a business, rather than inat a certain business location. For example, if a business haswith 3 locations withand 5 employees in each location,location theyis havenot a totalmicro-firm of(as it has 15 employees.employees Forin countingtotal). Recycling must be separated at all locations.

  To count part-time employees, add a fraction based on their pro-rated hours.  

  Volunteershours. Volunteers aredo not includedcount intowards determining the Fulltotal.

  Micro-firms Timehave Equivalentuntil (FTE)31 employeeMarch count2027 forto acomply. businessYou ordo non-domesticnot premise. Thisneed includesto organisationsregister thator haveapply volunteersfor acrossthis multipletemporary premises. exemption.

  Legal requirement for workplaces 

  Businesses and non-domesticworkplaces premises have a legal duty to takeensure allwaste reasonabledisposal stepsis tosafe, applysecure theand wastelegal hierarchy and thetake dutyall ofreasonable caresteps into linekeep withwaste Simplerto Recycling.a minimum.

  If your landlord employs a waste company for you, or you have a waste management contractor, this company has a legal obligation to make sure any separately collected dry recyclables are sent for recycling and that any residualnon-recyclable waste is correctly managed.  

  If you do not comply with these requirements by 31 March 2025 (or 31 March 2027 for micromicro-firms), firms), you are at risk of receiving a compliance notice from the Environment Agency. Agency (EA). 

  Compliance notices can also be issued against anyone who is not separating waste in agreement with their waste collector.  This will often be the waste producers, for example the business, but this may also be the landlords or facilities management companies that are presenting waste on behalf of the waste producer.    

  It is an offence to fail to comply with a compliance notice and enforcement action may be taken against you in line with the EnvironmentEA’s Agency Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.  policy.  

  Legal requirement for waste collectors 

  Waste collectors have a legal duty to make sure that dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal, glass, paper and card) and food waste are collected separately from residualnon-recyclable waste.  

  Paper and card must be collected separately from paper,plastic, metal and glass. However, if this is not technically or economically practicable, or has no significant environmental benefit, the waste collector can can complete a written co-collection assessment.  

  Compliance notices can also be issued against a waste collector (excluding a Waste Collection Authority) that is not complying with the rules. 

  Once collected, waste that has been separated for recycling cannot be mixed with other materials of different properties after. Waste separated for recycling cannot be disposed to landfill or incineration.

  SupportReporting for workplaces and waste collectors non-compliance 

  BusinessesFrom willApril continue2025, tothe paygeneral forpublic theirand ownother wasteparties management services. However, Defra will be providingable adviceto andreport guidance for workplaces asthat theydo movenot tofollow these newrules recyclingto rules.   

  Wastethe andEnvironment Resources Action Programme 

  Agency.

  DefraThis hasguidance fundedwill thebe Wasteupdated andwith Resourcesinformation Actionon Programmehow (WRAP) to developreport the non-compliance Businesswhen ofit Recyclingis Website.available.